Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to orthopedic devices for the wrist, and more particularly to a brace adapted to protect the integrity of the carpal tunnel and surrounding musculature of the human wrist.
Description of Related Art
The average human wrist endures high levels of stress daily, especially for those who work on a computer (FIG. 1) or partake in other repetitive use activities such as biking, long-distance driving, weightlifting and gymnastics to name a few. Over time, repetitive wrist flattening motions can produce adverse effects on the nerves, tendons, ligaments and bones of the human wrist, making the wrist painful and susceptible to various ailments.
One common wrist ailment is known as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Other types of hand/wrists ailments may include: TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injuries), arthritis, wrist tendonitis, ulnar-sided wrist pain, pain stemming from weight bearing, gripping, wrist rotation, and extension, and the like. Any references specifically to CTS herein are intended to generally represent any and all relevant causes of wrist pain, including but not limited to those mentioned in this paragraph.
The carpal tunnel 20 is a protected passageway through the wrist leading into the hand that is formed on one side by the several carpal bones 22 and on the other side by the transverse carpal ligament 24. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the carpal ligament 24 is a fibrous band on the palmar side of the hand, located at the base of the wrist, and crosses transversely (i.e., from one side of the wrist to the other). The transverse carpal ligament 24 together with the arc of carpal bones 22 form a structural envelope around the carpal tunnel 20. The median nerve 26 and several flexor tendons 28 pass through the carpal tunnel 20. The median nerve 26 provides sensation to the thumb 30 (FIG. 5), index finger, middle finger and the thumb side of the ring finger.
Symptoms like pain, tingling and numbness arise when pressure is placed on the median nerve 26. This pressure occurs when the carpal tunnel 20 is flattened due to the carpal bones 22 being forced out of their natural arc, such as exemplified in FIGS. 1 and 3 where the wrist is bent (i.e., not aligned) while typing on a keyboard. The entire carpal tunnel 20 is compressed when the wrist is maintained at a bent angle, which causes the tendons 28 and median nerve 26 to be squeezed together. This crowding condition can lead to inflammation and over-stimulation of the median nerve 26, which will be experienced as pain and discomfort in the wrist and/or hand. Repeated and/or prolonged flattening of the carpal tunnel 20 can create repetitive micro-trauma to the transverse carpal ligament 24. Left untreated, the condition can become chronic and lead eventually to CTS or other painful ailment.
People who experience wrist pain often explore non-invasive strategies to manage the pain/discomfort. Many sufferers of wrist pain are able to manage the pain through the use of an orthopedic device worn over the affected area. Examples of such orthopedic devices might include U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,748 to Morgan, Jr., issued Nov. 13, 2001. These types of devices usually attempt to manage the discomfort with any one or more of the following techniques: 1) localized compression of the carpal tunnel 20 area; 2) stabilization/immobilization of the wrist; and/or 3) manipulation of the skin over the carpal tunnel 20 area. Relatively mild cases of CTS (and other causes of wrist pain) may be find some relief through use of these prior art orthopedic devices.
However, even in cases where the orthopedic devices do a satisfactory job of managing the pain, many users find the devices cumbersome to wear for prolonged periods of time and/or that their effectiveness diminishes rather rapidly as the underlying condition worsens. In other words, the prior art orthopedic devices tend to do a rather poor job of retarding the advance of the underlying root cause of wrist pain and are not convenient to wear. Many such devices are considered cumbersome because they interfere with common dexterous tasks. Most if not all prior art orthopedic devices relieve pain caused by the root cause condition (e.g., CTS) by exerting force(s) on the wrist and/or hand. These induced forces themselves will become uncomfortable and from time-to-time and the wearer will desire to remove the orthopedic device for a momentary comfort break. Or perhaps the wearer's hand will become over-heated, or need to be washed, or a winter glove must be placed on the hand. For various reasons, the wearer of the orthopedic device will want to periodically remove the orthopedic device, but most prior art devices are not easy to remove and re-apply.
Another important drawback of most prior art wrist braces used to manage pain are their lack of convenient on-the-fly adjustability. As stated above, many prior art orthopedic devices relieve wrist pain by exerting force(s) on the wrist and/or hand. Over time, a person wearing the brace may sense that the exerted forces are either too weak or too strong. The prior art wrist braces tend to lack a convenient method by which the exerted forces can be increased and/or decreased at will by the wearer.
Additional shortcomings of prior art orthopedic wrist braces may include things like high expense due to customized fits and/or embedded bracing elements. Prior art braces can be relatively heavy. Such prior art devices can be difficult to clean. They are sometimes made of non-breathable materials that cover large areas of skin which cause moisture and oils to be trapped against the skin and/or accumulate in the device. Naturally, any object worn next to the skin will require periodic cleaning. Some prior art orthopedic wrist braces are designed for dedicated left-hand or right-hand use only which can be result in higher cost and less convenience for a person that suffers from pain in both wrists. Still further, many people today desire to wear a personal fitness tracker (e.g., Fitbit™, Apple Watch™, Garmin Vivosmart™, etc.) or a jewelry bracelet or a favorite wristwatch on a hand that also suffers from wrist pain. Most prior art orthopedic wrist braces preclude concurrent use of these common wrist-worn devices on the same hand.
When non-invasive orthopedic devices are insufficiently effective to manage the pain, sufferers of CTS or other wrist ailment must turn to surgical intervention. Common surgical procedures for alleviating CTS, for example, include the traditional open-incision technique and the modern endoscopic carpal tunnel release technique. The aim of these types of surgical procedures is to remove scar tissue that builds on and around the transverse carpal ligament 24. Naturally, the cost and risks associated with any surgical intervention make this a resort of last choice. Many sufferers of CTS will endure years of agonizing pain before submitting to surgical intervention out of desperation. Pain medication may be taken to excess by some during this time of suffering. In the meantime, people's work productivity and overall enjoyment of life can be severely compromised.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved orthopedic device that is effective to manage the pain caused by mild-to-moderate cases of wrist pain, that is more effective to arrest or at least slow the worsening of the underlying root cause (e.g., CTS), that can be conveniently engaged and disengaged by the user, that is light-weight, that is low-cost and that is easy to clean.